The invention relates to an apparatus for processing flatfish. In a known apparatus for processing flatfish provisions are made for removing fat brims from the circumference of flatfish filets. The fishbones and alike of the flatfish filets supplied to this known apparatus have already been removed.
Making flatfish ready to cook comprises among others cutting loose the head, the dorsal fin, the anal fin and the tail fin from the flatfish. Nowadays these operations are carried out manually. These manual operations require large skills, whereas moreover severe hygienic conditions have to be fulfilled.
It is an object of the invention to provide an apparatus for processing flatfish with which the operations carried out manually now can be carried out automatedly.
Thus the apparatus for processing flatfish in accordance with the invention is characterised by a conveyor means for the flatfish, registration means for determining the geometry of the flatfish and their position relative to the conveyor means, a cutting device for cutting loose the head, the dorsal fin, the anal fin and the tail fin from the flatfish and with a control unit connected between the registration means and the cutting device.
The flatfish supplied by means of the conveyor means are registrated by the registration means in respect of their geometry and their position. The data obtained by the registration means are transferred to the control unit which, in accordance with these data, controlles the cutting device such, that the head, dorsal fin, anal fin and tail fin are cut loose from the flatfish.
Using such an apparatus the flatfish are processed mainly automatedly. It is possible that previous to processing the flatfish by means of the apparatus the intestines of the flatfish have already been removed. However, this is not necessary.
Supplying the flatfish to the conveyor means may occur automatedly or manually. Because the registration means determine the position of the flatfish relative to the conveyor means it is not necessary to supply each flatfish in exactly the same position to the conveyor means. Thus the apparatus will be very versatile in its use. Because the registration means further determine the geometry of the flatfish this apparatus can without problems be used for flatfish having varying dimensions.
For processing the flatfish now occurs completely automatedly fulfilling hygienic conditions requires less efforts compared to a manual processing. Further, using the apparatus according to the invention, a larger number of flatfish can be processed each hour than would be possible manually. Finally the automation of the processing of the flatfish means that the products obtained have a constant quality.
Preferably the apparatus according to the invention is characterised in that the cutting device comprises at least two cutting means which are essentially transversaly to the conveyor means and mutually independently movable to and fro. Using these two cutting means the head, dorsal fin, anal fin and tail fin can be removed during one single passage of the flatfish through the cutting device.
In this respect it is advantageous, if the track followed by the cutting means includes an angle with the transverse direction of the conveyor means. As a result the cutting means can make cuts in the flatfish which extend perpendicularly to the direction of movement of the conveyor means.
Further it is advantageous if the registration means comprise an X-ray device. Such an X-ray device can make an image of the geometry of the respective flatfish, thus providing information about the position of the fishbones. This information is processed by the control unit and transformed into control signals for the cutting device. Moreover, such an X-ray device can be applied for checking the flatfish on the present of irregularities.